Chapter 43: I’m Not Good at Fighting
Leon had a pretty straightforward plan: take advantage of the chaos in the Red Flame Dragon Race, slip right in while the outside pressure was at its peak, and find Constantine’s trusted aide.
At that moment, the beleaguered aide couldn’t have imagined that, after four long months, the guy who did in his boss would come knocking at his door again.
The essence of the plan? Total surprise.
Roswiser had no objections to Leon’s timing for the infiltration.
But the method of entry… well, that needed more thought.
“Just have Sherry drop me off near the Red Flame Dragon territory, and I’ll walk in myself,” Leon thought.
Roswiser pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “Not gonna work.”
“What do you mean?”
“First, you’re going to figure out which Dragon Kings are in cahoots with the human Empire, which is why you want to seek that aide in the Red Flame Dragon Race. But to either Sherry or my other kin, you sneaking around, all by your lonesome self, as the Silver Dragon Prince in a defeated dragon’s turf? That’s just super weird and doesn’t fit.”
Roswiser analyzed for Leon, “Also, there’s no way Sherry would let you, the Silver Dragon Prince, waltz into enemy territory solo. Even if you had her stand by, she’d tag along. My other subordinates would likely do the same.”
“And since that aide you’re after knows about Constantine’s cooperation with the Empire, he’s probably aware of your human identity too. So no matter how you interrogate him, there’s a good chance he’ll spill your identity. If Sherry’s around, then we’ve blown the secret we’ve been protecting!”
Roswiser had a point.
If Constantine could complain about collaborating with the Empire in front of that aide, then this aide almost certainly—
No, scratch that; he definitely knew Leon’s identity.
So if Leon had Sherry or any other kin bring him into the Red Flame Dragon territory, the chances of identity exposure skyrocketed.
Leon needed to keep the “Silver Dragon Prince” facade to investigate further within the Dragon Race, working in tandem with his master to unveil the Empire’s scheme.
On top of that, the “fake” family he was building alongside Roswiser was getting more fleshed out.
Noia, Moon, and Little Light all looked up to Leon with pride; to them, he was the best dad in the world.
But if they found out that their esteemed father was really just an outsider, a human…
The consequences were unfathomable.
Maybe the perceptive Noia wouldn’t think much of it, as long as dad loved her and she loved him back. The same would likely go for Moon and Little Light.
But—
What if things turned bad? How would Leon face them then?
That was a gamble Leon didn’t dare bet on.
All he could do was continue to keep this secret with Roswiser.
Seeing Leon lost in thought, Roswiser knew he understood her message and was mulling over all possibilities.
“So how do I get to the Red Flame Dragon Race then?”
The territories between different Dragon Races were far apart. Even if General Leon were a supermodel, he was still a land creature who could only walk on two legs.
No wings, no transportation—depending solely on his legs, it would take months to walk from the Silver Dragon Temple to the Red Flame Dragon territory.
By then, forget about Constantine’s aide; the entire Red Flame Dragon Race would probably have vanished into the flames of revenge from the other tribes.
Moreover, getting to the Red Flame Dragon Race was just the first step. Most importantly, he couldn’t raise suspicions among his companions.
Fortunately, Roswiser had a good idea.
“I’ll go with you!”
Leon blinked.
Clearly, he hadn’t expected Roswiser to say that.
“The Silver Dragon Queen sneaks into the territory of the defeated Dragons with her husband…”
Leon drummed his fingers on his chin, a chill running down his spine. “That sounds even more suspicious than me going alone.”
Roswiser shrugged. “Just say we’re going to survey the border; that excuse has always worked well.”
Her Majesty made a valid point.
While her sister Isar teased it as a “great excuse for a work date,” it genuinely could cover for some rather “private” matters.
Like dating.
Or, say… sneaking into enemy territory.
“Having Sherry drop you off would easily expose your identity, so for this situation, me going with you is the safest option.”
“You got a point. But… I don’t quite understand.”
Roswiser tilted her head. “What don’t you understand?”
Leon met her silver gaze and, biting his lip, said, “This is undeniably dangerous, plus, technically, it’s an affair between me, my master, and the Empire. The conflict between the Red Flame and Silver Dragon Races has ended. You don’t need to take this risk with me…”
Oh~
The Queen understood.
The dog man hadn’t completely lost his humanity; he was actually considering her safety.
Roswiser secretly felt pleased but didn’t let it show.
She planned to poke a little more at him, hoping to fish out a more sincere confession.
“Well, what else can we do? If you expose your identity, won’t our family disband?”
Roswiser pretended to be troubled, sighing exaggeratedly.
“I know it’s dangerous! And I just gave birth four months ago; my powers aren’t fully restored. If I run into any remnants of the Red Flame Dragons, I could get hurt, and worse… who knows if I’d even make it back, boo hoo…”
Fake! After Dragon childbirth, their bodies and strength generally recovered super quickly.
After all, they were a wild species fighting over land through brute strength, with their fierce nature encoded right into their DNA.
She said this merely to scare the dog man.
Let’s see if he shows a bit more of his true feelings.
“Not come back… is it really that dramatic?” Leon genuinely sounded spooked.
“Of course! You may be Casmod, the Dragon-Slaying Hero, fearless and unyielding, but look at me. I’ve never been one for fighting, and I’m feeling weak. If it weren’t for this family, for the daughters, I wouldn’t dream of taking this risk with you!”
She looked so pitiful, delicate, as if a gust could blow her slender frame away.
If she were clutching a handkerchief, she’d be the epitome of a sickly beauty!
Leon wasn’t sure if she was faking or not, but the idea of becoming frail after giving birth seemed to hold some truth.
He licked his parched lips, hesitated for a moment, stood up awkwardly, and walked over to Roswiser, giving her shoulder a gentle push.
“Alright, alright… we’ll just think of something else. You don’t have to tag along.”
“Something else? Is there really another way? At this point, I’m the only one who can take you there!”
Roswiser propped her head up with one hand, feigning despair.
But from where Leon couldn’t see, the corners of the Queen’s mouth were curving up in delight.
“But… but what if you get hurt…”
Getting hurt was an understatement; conflicts between Dragon Races went beyond mere “injuries.”
“Hmm, only now do you care about me? You hardly ever show concern!” The Queen’s teasing itch had kicked in, and she couldn’t stop now.
“Uh, I…”
“What about you?”
“I wasn’t worrying about you; I was just… just afraid the daughters would be worried.”
Oh, pulling that card, huh?
Ha! Casmod, today you’ll learn that the same trick won’t work twice on a Dragon King!
“Really now, Leon? So you don’t care about me at all; just rambling and pretending! For a moment, I thought about risking my life to help you find your enemy; what a joke! This life is unbearable! I can’t stand it! I’m packing my things tomorrow and going to my sister’s house—mmph!”
Leon quickly covered her mouth.
At this rate, she might just pivot to divorce.
He covered Roswiser’s mouth, and because he was standing while she was sitting, her face naturally pressed against his midriff.
Leon looked down at her, and she lifted those beautiful eyes to meet his.
For a moment, they locked gazes, Leon’s face heating up as he stammered, “Alright… I-I’m just worried about you getting into trouble, okay? Though it’s somewhat related to the daughters… it’s not entirely that! I’m also really worried about you, and I don’t want you to get hurt. If something happens to you, I’ll feel… really guilty!”
He mulled over his choice of words and ultimately settled on ‘guilty.’
Of course, feelings like ‘sad’ or ‘distressed’ fit Leon’s character as well, but using such terms might feel a little… too intimate for them now.
So after much thought, ‘guilty’ seemed the best fit.
After all, she could be at home, peacefully reigning as the Silver Dragon Queen, with no need to take on risks with Leon.
If she were hurt while trying to help him, he’d be guilt-ridden.
This wasn’t just about Roswiser’s identity; she was a “loyal” partner so willing to help, how could he not feel guilty?
Hearing the dog man’s words, sensing the tone in them, Roswiser felt satisfied.
She pressed down Leon’s hand still covering her mouth, her face still nestled against his abdomen, and even leaned towards him a bit.
Not quite like a small bird seeking warmth, just a testing nudge.
“Don’t worry; I’ll take care of myself.”
Roswiser said, “As for why I’m helping you, there’s no special reason; a wife helping her husband is only natural, right?”
Leon looked down, the hand that had covered her mouth hadn’t withdrawn.
With a newfound boldness, he gently caressed Roswiser’s warm, soft cheek with the back of his hand.
Unexpectedly, she didn’t resist or stop him; she simply let him caress her.
Leon’s eyes dropped, his voice low, “You’re really playing the part, Roswiser.”
She didn’t respond but just closed her eyes slowly, savoring Leon’s steady hand against her skin.
